Smart Maritime Group (SMG) of Smart-Holding, combining Kherson and Mykolaiv shipyards, will modernize six coastal vessels of the Koster class (a vessel with a limited navigation area from the coast) by order of the Dutch company Handelskade Shipsales B.V.
According to a SMG’s press release on Wednesday, under the terms of the contract, each vessel’s length will be increased by 12 meters during the modernization by installing an insert and a partition. The shipyard specialists will also paint ballast tanks, outer hull and cargo holds, lay new piping systems and install new hatch covers.
In addition, a self-ejecting boat will be installed in the stern of the vessel. About 190 tonnes of metal will be used to modernize each vessel.
At the same time, it is noted that the modernization will significantly improve the technical and economic characteristics of the ships, they will become two-hold (now one), the deadweight will increase, on average, by 20%.
The first two vessels are expected to be delivered to SMG for repairs in the second decade of January. It is planned to complete the modernization of all vessels by July 2021.
The total cost of the contract will be about UAH 100 million.
“The company has already started cutting and processing high-quality metal purchased for this order at the enterprises of the Metinvest holding,” the press release said.
Dynamics of changes in population of ukraine from 1991-2020.
The Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine expects that in 2021 the volume of transit of goods through the territory of Ukraine will recover to the level of 2019.
“We are waiting for the resumption, growth of transit. We would definitely recover to the level of 2019. But in order for it to grow, we need the economies of countries that send goods to each other develop,” Infrastructure Minister of Ukraine Vladyslav Krykliy said in an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine.
The minister also said that the pandemic has fundamentally changed communications between countries.
“Probably, the greatest positive thing from the coronavirus, so to speak, is that we switched to more dynamic communications, including on the creation of digital transport corridors. If a year ago the issue of digital corridors, uniform transport rules and a single document was considered a prospect, which we must strive for, now digitalization is a necessity,” he said.
According to Krykliy, this is the only way the countries participating in the East-Europe transit traffic will be able to build alternative transport corridors that will develop through a digital tool, information exchange and through the interaction of all operators participating in these intermodal transportation, in order to eventually become competitive with Russia.
National bank of Ukraine’s official rates as of 23/12/20
Source: National Bank of Ukraine
Official rates of banking metals from national bank as of December 23
One troy ounce=31.10 grams
Subsidiary of the state-owned company (SOE) Ukrspecexport – SOE Ukroboronservice and the design company of the Qatari port operator QTerminals W.L.L. – QTerminals Olvia LLC signed a memorandum of understanding and cooperation in the presence of Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine Vladyslav Krykliy.
The press service of the Ministry of Infrastructure said on Tuesday evening, the parties will work intensively to ensure proper implementation of the concession agreement and further efficient and profitable operation of the port.
“Olvia specialized seaport is our second concession project, under which we hired the world’s leading operator – Qatari company QTerminals, which manages the largest commercial port of Qatar – Hamad with the value of more than $7 billion. Today, the design company of the concessionaire QTerminals Olvia and Ukroboronservice signed the first memorandum of understanding and cooperation within the framework of this concession, which is an important achievement of the transition period,” the ministry’s press service said, citing Krykliy.
The minister said that, among other things, the document regulates issues related to the common use of infrastructure facilities, and will help the parties to unite efforts to develop strategic infrastructure around the port.
According to him, QTerminals Olvia LLC and SOE Ukroboronservice will jointly make efforts to carry out reconstruction and dredging works, increase the capacity of approach roads and the railway that leads to the port. And the Ministry of Infrastructure, as a concessionaire, will provide ongoing support to the concessionaire in establishing cooperation in the concession project with other state-owned enterprises.
The memorandum also provides for measures aimed at cooperation of the parties with local authorities and public authorities of Mykolaiv region, state-run enterprises and departments in order to ensure sustainable development, as well as the investment attractiveness of the region in which the project is being implemented.
